Laporta hoping for a favour from Guardiola in Barça’s pursuit of Ferran Torres | OneFootball

Barcelona are not giving up on their pursuit of Manchester City forward Ferran Torres ahead of the January transfer window.

The 21-year-old Spaniard is a player that new manager Xavi Hernandez has specifically requested the club to sign next month as he admires his versatility and technical abilities. However, signing him is proving to be a difficult task for the Blaugrana.

It is no secret that Barca are going through a difficult phase financially and Manchester City value their star man at a massive €70 million, which the Catalans are not in a position to pay. However, El Nacional is claiming that they might be willing to go as high as €50 million for the ex-Valencia ace.

The report states that Joan Laporta & co. will try to bring the price down to €40 million, but if that does not happen, are open to shelling out €50 million. However, given the economic situation at the club, they are hoping to make the payment to Manchester City in instalments.

It is claimed that Barcelona are planning to pay a sum of €30 million initially next month and fulfil the rest of the €20 million in parts between January and June, with the idea being to clear out payment by the end of the season.

And, it is here where Laporta is hoping that Manchester City manager Pep Guardiola will come to his aid. The Barca president wants the Catalan tactician to help convince the Premier League champions’ CEO, Ferran Soriano, to accept the staggered payment proposal.

Guardiola, for his part, is believed to be open to selling Torres to Barcelona if an agreement between the clubs is arrived at. However, it remains to be seen if he is willing to intercede in the negotiations to help his former employers clinch the deal in January.